Needles
by Lady of Mercy
Summary: "I'd cut myself open a thousand times if it meant that I could be with you." Temari/Tenten one shot pairing.


**A/n: So I enjoy the Temari/Tenten pairing. It's just something that is very cute to me and I'd like to try my hand at writing for them. It will be a one shot.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto in any way, shape or form.**

* * *

"Do it," a brown-haired female with chocolate orbs spoke firmly. There was no sign of hesitation in her voice. She looked into the teal eyes of the blonde woman standing in front of her. The blonde was currently holding a kunai at her throat. Those eyes that once showed her so much passion were now hardened, empty

"Well," the brunette spoke. "What are you waiting for? Why are you hesitating?"

There had not been an answer to any of those questions yet.

"Hm," she chuckled. "You aren't acting like the Temari I know."

Teal eyes widened slightly. "Stop it."

"The Temari I know wouldn't have hesitated."

"I said stop."

"I asked you what you were waiting for. Cut me open if that's what you want."

"Shut the hell up!" Temari shouted. She brought the kunai closer. The brunette didn't flinch but did anticipate the feel of the blade. However it never came. She soon looked to see the taller woman throwing her weapon to the side.

"_What's this_?" she wondered.

Temari reached over. She placed her hand on to the brown-eyed woman's face.

"Ten, how did we end up here?" she asked.

It was a valid question. How did they end up here in this situation? How could they have gone from being happy and in love to Temari pulling a kunai on her? Tenten recognized that look in her eyes. She had seen it before years ago. It was the look of the intent to kill.

"_She wanted to kill me, didn't she_?" Tenten thought to herself. "_Why didn't you_?"

One thing Tenten knew for certain was that if at any moment the sandy-blonde wanted her dead she would have been. Temari wouldn't have stalled if she wanted to actually take her life. She had several opportunities in the past to do so. It made no sense to suddenly want to kill her now. Tenten looked into those teal eyes. They had softened a bit from the time where she had just held the kunai on her.

"Temari," she spoke. She didn't quite know how to answer the question. Honestly she didn't understand any of it. She didn't even fully get why she was still standing here. Shouldn't she have run away by now? After all Temari just pulled a weapon on her. Just a few moments ago it looked like she wanted her dead.

"Where did it go wrong?" Temari asked. "We shouldn't be here, like this."

Tenten gave a slight nod. She agreed.

"You haven't wanted to kill me in years."

Temari flinched slightly as Tenten brought up their fight in the Chunnin exams.

"Those were different circumstances." She said. "We've come a long way since those days."

"Yeah," Tenten whispered. "I thought that we did.

They actually had come a long way from those days. Having the chance to spend time with the sandy-blonde kunochi over the years Tenten had really gotten to know her. The relationship slowly over time turned from two people who came to understand one another, to friendship, that eventually to both of their surprises turned romantic. They could both remember the first time they actually kissed.

* * *

_(Flashback)_

_It had begun as a typical day for the two kunoichi's. Temari was once again visiting Konoha. Each time she came to the village she made sure to visit with the brunette._

"_Hey, we're you waiting long? The sandy-blonde asked as she made her way to where Tenten waited. The brown-eyed girl sat at a cozy spot underneath some trees._

"_Oh, hey Tem." The brunette smiled. "No, I wasn't here long. Sit down okay. I almost thought that you were going to ditch me." She teased._

_Temari gave a slight grin. "Why would you miss me?" she teased back._

"_Hm," Tenten pretended to think. "I don't know. It's not like I can't find someone else to sit and have lunch with."_

"_Oh," Temari started. "Ouch," she feigned hurt as she sat down. "I'm sure that you could. Your village is full of enough interesting characters I suppose. You're spandex loving teammate for one."_

_Tenten laughed some at the mention of Lee._

"_Hey, lay off Lee. He's not really so bad."_

"_Yeah," she nodded. "I was kidding, mostly. But since it would be so easy to replace me I will keep that in mind or the next time I'm in Konoha. I think I just may have to forget to bring these." She then held a pouch in her hand that was filled with multi-colored candies. Tenten's eyes lit up at the sight. Those were candies that Temari had introduced to her. They were candies that were made only in Suna. They were candies that Temari had made a habit of bringing for her whenever she did visit. They were the same candies that Tenten had fallen in love with._

"_Ooh…" she reached out and instantly Temari pulled them back. "Hey," she pouted. "That's not fair."_

_Temari couldn't help but smile at how cute Tenten looked at the moment. _

"_You are like a small child right now. Here take them okay. Especially if you're going to sulk all day about this." she then threw the candy pouch to her._

"_I was not." She playfully stuck her tongue out. "I was only kidding anyway Tem."_

_The sandy-blonde gave a nod. She did know that. She stretched out her legs, leaning back against the tree._

"_For the record I wouldn't have stood you up."_

"_Yeah I know."_

"_I enjoy spending time with you."_

_Those words took the brown-eyed female by surprise. She turned to look at the teal-eyed girl. Maybe it was all in her head, but it sounded more than platonic at the moment. Or perhaps it had been some wishful thinking on her part._

"_Um," Tenten began hesitantly. "You uh…" she felt her cheeks turn slightly red. "Temari, do you hear how those words sound?"_

_Temari turned to her. Teal eyes were now staring into brown._

"_I'm sorry. Am I making you uncomfortable?_

"_No, it's just….well…it sounded…"_

_Before even Temari truly realized it she leaned forward. "Ten," she started. "I don't think I can pretend anymore."_

"_Pretend?" Tenten repeated._

"_I am going to just put it out there. When I told you that I enjoy spending time with you it came out exactly how I wanted it to. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. But I also don't think I'll be able to keep up this lie either."_

_Tenten found herself listening to every word. "What lie?"_

_Temari then moved closer. She placed both hands on to the brown-eyed girl's face._

"_I am not completely sure Tenten. But I think you feel it too." She then placed her lips on to hers. Tenten froze at the moment. Was this really happening? It took her some time to fully register it. Yes, Temari's lips were currently on hers. Yes, the sandy-blonde was kissing her._

"_This feels…" Tenten thought before eventually giving in to return the teal-eyed female's kiss. "It feels right."_

_They soon ended the kiss at the same time. Tenten looked down. She found that right now she dared not look at her. She could only still feel her lips. She only thought of their kiss._

"_I would apologize but I won't. I'm not going to apologize for doing something I've wanted to for a long time."_

"_Tem, I…" she looked up again, meeting the sandy-blonde's eyes. This time before the brunette could stop herself she leaned in again. This time she initiated the next kiss between them._

* * *

That had been the beginning of what started as quite an awkward relationship for them. Tenten avoided Temari for some time. She felt confused by all these new feelings. She didn't quite know where to start placing them. She didn't know what to do. The confusion however didn't last long as talking with Temari helped to put things into perspective. She was able to sort through all of her emotions. She decided that she needed to give the relationship a chance. The awkwardness between them soon faded into what grew into a productive, passionate, and loving relationship.

Time spent together strengthening their bond. Whenever they were a part it only served to make those feelings stronger and made for passionate reunions.

"We've been through a lot over the years." Tenten said.

"We have." Temari gave a nod. "I never thought that this would happen to us."

Both women were now looking at the kunai on the ground. Tenten gazed upon the weapon that would have sliced open her throat. Temari stared down at the blade that she just held moments ago on the woman that she loved.

"Temari, do you want to kill me?" she asked.

It hurt immediately when she asked the question. No, she never dreamed that she'd ever harm the brown-eyed female. Yet moments ago she did have that kunai in her hand.

"Ten, do you really think I want to hurt you?"

Tenten opened her mouth. She couldn't form the words yet. Had the sandy-blonde forgotten already what just happened. She appeared ready to take her life.

"Temari you just pulled a kunai on me."

"Yeah,"

There was no denying that.

"So can you blame me for asking if you want me dead?"

"I wouldn't hurt you." Temari said.

"Tem, how can you expect me to believe that? You were about to slice me open!"

"No!" Temari shouted back. "I wouldn't have, not really. I…" she whispered now. Tenten took notice to the distant look in her eyes. Something didn't seem right with the sandy-blonde.

"Tem, are you okay?" she asked as she started to make her way towards the taller woman. Temari made no sudden movements.

"Temari what's wrong?"

"Ten I…"

"Something isn't right. I know that you wouldn't hurt me."

No she wouldn't have. Tenten knew the sandy-blonde inside out. She loved this woman. Under any other circumstances Temari would not have pulled out a weapon on her. It made her believe that something had to be wrong.

"I wouldn't do it Tenten."

"Yeah," she nodded. "But something made you want to for that split second."

Temari's mind flashed to earlier. Tenten had screamed at her to do it. She was telling her to go ahead and use that kunai. She couldn't understand why. Why would the brunette do such a thing?

"Why did you tell me to do it?"

"What," the brown-eyed female asked.

"You told me to do it. Don't you remember?"

She did remember. "I know. I did."

"Why then?" Temari asked. "I don't understand."

The brunette then smiled as she put both hands on to the blonde's face.

"Temari I'd cut myself open a thousand times if it meant I could be with you."

Temari's eyes widened.

"No don't say that. You're saying you'd let me hurt you. No," she shook her head. "I wouldn't do that. I stopped it. I stopped before it…" she could say no more. The brunette simply placed her arms around the taller woman.

"Shh," she soothed as she ran her fingers through the blonde's hair. "It's alright. Let's just forget about it okay."

"But…" Tenten then brought her lips to Temari's. Starting off slowly kissing her before it began to get more intense when Temari ended up kissing back.

"Hey Tem…" she soon whispered. "I love you. We'll figure it out, I promise. Right now thought it's going to be okay. Let's just forget about it."

Only the teal-eyed woman wasn't so sure if she could easily forget. Something made her take out that kunai. It made her sick to her stomach at the thoughts that she could bring harm to the brunette. Tenten was a person that she had come to love a great deal. She couldn't imagine harming her.

"_I only know that I can't allow that to happen ever again_." She thought to herself.

Temari would never forgive herself if she actually brought harm to the brunette.

"You are acting too understanding."

"No," Tenten spoke as she let her go. "If we got through you almost killing me back at the Chuunin exams to us being in a relationship for so long. I think we can handle this, don't you?"

Temari could only frown. "Those were different circumstances." She reminded her. "That was also a really long time ago."

"Yeah," Tenten agreed. Time had changed them both since those days. "We've grown since then. I have faith in us. So you should too."

Temari then suddenly hugged her. The hug nearly crushed her.

"Oh…" She breathed out. "T…Tem…"

She eased up on the hug. A sigh escaped the sandy-blonde.

"I'm not going to let this happen again Tenten. You know what you mean to me right?"

"Yeah, I know Temari."

"Good." She then placed a kiss on her forehead before letting her go. "Then I will try to let it go. But don't ever let me hear you say anything like that again. I wouldn't want to hurt you in that way."

"I'm sorry." Tenten apologized. "I wasn't thinking. Before I knew it I was just saying those words. You really shouldn't be surprised though Tem. You do know how I feel about you, right?"

"Yes." Temari nodded. "I know, but that doesn't mean I would be okay with you so willing to allow yourself to be hurt, especially by me."

Tenten understood. She then leaned forward to place a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Okay, deal. I won't say things like that anymore."

"Thank you."

Tenten then reached for her hand, giving it a slight squeeze.

"Alright, let's get out of here. This is over. It never happened as far as I'm concerned. I want to just spend my time with you before you leave for Suna."

Temari allowed the brown-haired female to lead the way. She didn't know when she got so lucky to have her but she did know she would do everything possible to hold on to her.

"_No, I'm not going to lose you, especially not to something that I can prevent. I would never allow myself to hurt you Tenten, no matter what happens."_


End file.
